Abstract
This paper compares ethics in countries with different cultural dimensions based on empirical data from 12 countries. The results indicate that dimensions of national culture could serve as predictors of the ethical standards desired in a specific society. The author divided societal cultural practices into desired and undesired practices. According to this study, ethics could be seen as the means for achieving a desired state in a society: for reducing some societal characteristics and increasing others. Finally, a model of the impact of cultural dimensions on desired ethical standards is proposed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adler, M. J.: 1991, Desires Right & Wrong: The Ethics of Enough. Macmillan Publishing Company
Ashkanasy, N., V. Gupta, and M. S. Mayfield: 2004, ‚Future Orientation’, in R. House et al. (eds.), Culture, Leadership, and Organizations (The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies, Sage Publications, Inc.), pp. 282–342
Bowditch, J. L. and A. F. Buono: 2001, A Primer on Organizational Behavior, 5th edn. (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.)
Carl, D., V. Gupta and M. Javidan: 2004, ‚Power distance’, in R. House et al. (eds.), Culture, Leadership, and Organizations (The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies, Sage Publications, Inc.), pp. 513–563
De Luque, M. S. and M. Javidan: 2004, ‚Uncertainty avoidance’, in R. House et al. (eds.), Culture, Leadership, and Organizations (The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies, Sage Publications, Inc.), pp. 602–653
Den Hartog, D. N.: 2004, ‚Assertiveness’, in R. House et al. (eds.), Culture, Leadership, and Organizations (The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies, Sage Publications, Inc.), pp. 395–436
Emrich, C. G., F. L. Denmark and D. N. Den Hartog: 2004, ‚Cross-cultural differences in gender egalitarianism”, in R. House et al. (eds.), Culture, Leadership, and Organizations (The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies, Sage Publications, Inc.), pp. 343–394
Ennulo J., Türnpuu L. (2001). An Intercultural Comparison of Management Values among Business School Students and Teachers. Trames 5(4):336–344
Fisher, C. and A. Lovell: 2003, Business Ethics and Values (Prentice Hall)
Furnham A., Kirkcadly B. D., Lynn R. (1994). National Attitudes to Competitiveness, Money, and Work Among Young People: First, Second, and Third World Differences. Human Relations 47(1):119–132
Gelfand, M. J., D. P. S. Bhawuk, L. H. Nishii and D. J. Bechtold: 2004, ‚Individualism and Collectivism’, in R. House et al. (eds.), Culture, Leadership, and Organizations (The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies, Sage Publications, Inc.), pp. 473–512
House, R. J., P. J. Hanges, M. Javidan, P. W. Dorfman and V. Gupta (eds.): 2004, Culture, Leadership, and Organizations (The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies, Sage Publications, Inc.)
House, R. J. and M. Javidan: 2004, ‚Overview of Globe’, in R. J. House, P. J. Hanges, M. Javidan, P. W. Dorfman and V. Gupta (eds.), Culture, Leadership, and Organizations (The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies, Sage Publications, Inc.) pp. 9–48
Ishikawa A., C. Mako and C. Warhurst (eds.): 2006, Work and employee representation: workers, firms and unions. Tokyo: Chuo University Press
Javidan, M.: 2004, ‚Performance Orientation’, in R. House et al. (eds.), Culture, Leadership, and Organizations (The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies, Sage Publications, Inc.), pp. 239–281
Kabasakal, H. and M. Bodur: 2004, ‚Humane Orientation in Societies, Organizations and Leader Attributes’, in R. House et al. (eds.), Culture, Leadership, and Organizations (The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies, Sage Publications, Inc.), pp. 564–601
Keough K. A., Zimbardo P. G., Boyd J. N. (1999). Who’s Smoking, Drinking, and Using Drugs? Time Perspective as a Predictor of Substance Use. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 21(2):149–164
Kohlberg, L.: 1978, ‚Revision in the Theory and Practice of Moral Development’, Moral Development, Josey-Bass, 2(86)
Lawton, A.: 2000, Ethical Management for the Public Services. Open University Press
Lynn R. (1991). The Secret of Miracle Economy. London, SAU
McEwan, T.: 2001, Managing Values and Beliefs in Organisations (Prentice Hall)
Maslow A. H. (1954). Motivation and personality. New York, Harper & Row
Realo A., Allik J. (1999). A Cross-cultural Study of Collectivism: A Comparison of American, Estonian, and Russian students. Journal of Social Psychology, 139(2):133–14323
Rokeach, M.: 1973, The Nature of Human Values (The Free Press)
Trompenaas F., Hampden-Turner C. (1998). Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding Cultural Diversity in Global Business 2nd. New York, McGraw-Hill
Velasquez, M. G.: 2002, Business Ethics. Concepts and Cases, 5th edn. (Prentice Hall)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Appendices
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Alas, R. Ethics in countries with different cultural dimensions. J Bus Ethics 69, 237–247 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-9088-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-9088-3